Posts for fences and other structures



Nov. 8, 1955 D. s. PARKER 2,723,107

POSTS FOR FENCES AND OTHER STRUCTURES Filed Dec. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 um I ium,

ATTORNEY Nov. 8, 1955 D. s. PARKER 2,723,107

' POSTS FOR FENCES AND [OTHER STRUCTURES Filed Dec. 23, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &\\\\\\\\\\\ lNVENTOR DAVID $.PARKER We/Lb ATTORNEY United States Patent POSTS FOR FENCES AND OTHER STRUCTURES David S. Parker, Abilene, Tex.

Application December 23, 1952, Serial No. 327,467

4 Claims. (Cl. 256-24) This invention relates to enclosures or barriers and especially to posts employed in building structures of various kinds such as truck and trailer bodies, farm wagons, and fences of the kind used both in the city and on the farm for providing walls or obstructions of various heights, types, and materials, and used for various purposes.

Structures of various kinds have been produced throughout the years, however, on account of economic conditions it has become more and more of a problem to build satisfactorily and of fine quality and durability Without encountering prohibitive costs.

Walls, fences, and the like have been built With insuflicient allowance for expansion caused by temperature changes. After a time they have buckled and become unsightly, and this has frequently spoiled their usefulness.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the problems indicated and to provide posts and accompanying structural elements which will fulfill substantially any erection or enclosure problem at a saving both of material and labor costs and at the same time which will provide a structure of improved appearance and enhanced durability.

Another object of the invention is to provide post structures of widely applicable character suitable to various requirements and utilizing boards, metal, sheet material, including wire mesh and the like, and by means of which two, three orfour panel or fence structures can be united.

A further object of the invention is to provide posts and associated structures of relatively lightweight ma terial, of trim and compact appearance, and having certain variables increasing the adaptability and usefulness of the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure including a series of posts and panel sections with such posts provided with web portions disposed lengthwise of the same and spaced to snugly receive panel sections therebetween and with such web portions having apertures for fastening elements, as well as to provide means for increasing the thickness of certain panel sections to fit snugly between said web portions.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating a fence or enclosure incorporating various types of posts in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary perspective view of a two panel line post and cap;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary perspective view of a three panel corner post and cap;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary perspective view of a four panel corner post and cap;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of a two panel corner post and cap;

Fig. 6, a fragmentary perspective view of a solid board fence panel;

2,723,107 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 Fig. 7, a fragmentary perspective view of a wire fence panel;

Fig. 8, a fragmentary enlarged vertical section illustrating the manner of connecting a wire fence panel to one of the posts;

Fig. 9, a transverse or horizontal section taken on line 99 of Fig. 6 illustrating the manner of connecting two aligned fence structures;

Fig. 10, an enlarged fragmentary perspective illustrating a corner post connecting fence sections located at right angles; t

Fig. 11, a fragmentary perspective of the top of a fence post illustrating a barbed-wire supporting arm;

Fig. 12, a transverse section through a post with a modified type of panel; and

Fig. 13, an enlarged section on the line 1313 of Fig. 12.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a structure which includes a single post for joining two aligned fence panels, a post of generally similar character for connectwhich two panels disposed, for example, at right angles may be united.

The posts of the present invention preferably are of lightweight material of the same or slightly higher tensile strength than posts previously in use. They are of minimum bulk and are fabricated to facilitate the maximum possible usefulness as well as ease of installation with associated parts.

The posts are provided with longitudinally extending webs spaced apart to provide sockets of a width to snugly receive panel structures therebetween in the form of boards, wire mesh, corrugated metal or the like, although with the latter filler pieces supplement the thickness of the metal. The webs which form the sockets of the posts preferably are provided with longitudinally spaced apertures or openings which may be selectively used for fastening the parts in assembled relation or for the attachment of braces, arms or brackets for barbed wire and the like.

With continued reference to the drawings a fence, wall, or barrier is formed of a series of upright members and connecting members disposed horizontally or otherwise. As illustrated, the upright members may be of four kinds for respectively joining two sections in alignment or substantial alignment, for connecting three sections, two of which may be in alignment, for connecting four sections, two pairs of which may be in alignment and an end memher or terminal post.

The first of these four upright members, namely that for connecting two sections in alignment, consists of a post which is H-shaped in cross section with a pair of identical sides 10 and 11 connected by a cross bar or web 12, the sides or Webs 10 and 11 also are parallel and are adapted to receive therebetween the type of panel structure whether board, wire or the like which is to be connected, and with such connected structure abutting the cross member 12. The sides or Webs preferably are provided with openings 13 and 14 spaced longitudinally of the same for the reception of bolts or other fastening elements.

The posts of this dual connecting character used in the building of fences may be referred to as line posts since the structures which are joined ordinarily are disposed in a line and such structures may comprise panels 15 of a thickness to fit snugly between the sides of the posts or if thinner, as of corrugated metal or other material, they may be supplemented by filler pieces. If desired, boards may be employed to form a solid wall panel without the necessity of using any fastening elements through their ends for holding them in place, or they may be secured in spaced relation as shown in Fig. 1 by bolts or other fastening elements 16.

The posts for joining three panel sections may corre' spond to the posts just described but with additional webs 17 and 18 secured in spaced relation to each other and at right angles to the webs 1i) and 11. These additional webs may be provided by openings 19 and 2t) disposed longitudinally of the same for the reception of additional fastening elements for holding an additional panel member in place as is also illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. By applying to the post for joining three panel sections as just described, additional webs 21 and 22, each having longitudinally spaced openings 23 and 24, a fourway post is provided for connecting panel sections which may be arranged in two pairs as also illustrated in Fig. l.

in order to provide a terminal post as illustrated in Fig. 5, a post is employed of U-shaped construction having longitudinally disposed openings 26 and 2'7, webs 2% and 29, and longitudinally disposed openings 39 and 31 for the reception of fastening elements 16. As previously indicated, boards. may be placed in the same general plane one above the other in edge to edge contact and between spaced posts with the ends of the boards located between the webs of such posts where they will be retained without the use of fastening elements, or fewer boards may be employed and they may be held by fasteners or retaining bolts 16 in spaced relation as illustrated in Fig. 1. It will also appear from the drawing that walls, whether fences or not, may be produced of various patterns.

As disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings, instead of boards or lumber being used in the construction of a fence or wall, the panelling may be of a metal mesh and may have a top rail 32 to which the mesh 33 is fastened by means of clips 34 of wire or light material. As the wire, mesh or panel structure is disposed besides one of the line posts, it is attached to such line post by means of wire loops 35 located in the apertures 14 of such posts.

The end of the wire panel or mesh as shown in Pig. 8 is anchored by means of a vertical rod or heavy wire 35 extending through the end loops of the wire panel or mesh 33 and is fastened in position by means of a bolt 16, to one of the posts, which constitutes a terminal connection.

In addition to the wire panel 33 a relatively thin panel of corrugated material 37 may be employed and in order to supplement the thickness of the same so it will lit between the webs of the posts, filler pieces 38 may be used, such filler pieces having openings 39 for the reception of fastening bolts 16. With this construction the posts of the present invention accommodate either boards or other panel structures of thinner material, whether of mesh, corrugated material or other substance, and result in a tight joint.

In order to protect the tops of the posts, caps 40, 41, 42 and 43 may be provided respectively for the twoway, three-Way, four-way, and terminal posts. The cap has depending flanges 44 and 45 provided with openiii ings 46 which register with openings 14 in the post so that a bolt 16 may be disposed in the aligned openings.

in the cap and its post when the parts are assembled, thereby forming a protective cover for the top of the post. In like manner, the caps 41, 42 and 43 are provided with depending perforated flanges so that they may be similarly used and fastened in place.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated the use of an arm or bracket 47 having a flattened or perforated attaching base 48 and a series of attaching hooks 49 for the reception of strands of barbed wire 50.

It will be apparent that the posts of the present invention may be extruded or produced in any desired manner, they are of simple construction and can be made of lightweight material of appropriate tensile strength and at the same time will reduce the labor cost involved in prior erection methods, will provide more durable construction, and will not buckle or assume a grotesque appearance due to temperature changes. They are susceptible of being readily braced, lend themselves readily to the provi sion of gates or the attachment of brackets for holding barbed wire or the like as well as structure that is distinctive and ornamental and usable either with boards, metal, or other types of fence structures.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A fence including a post having a portion adapted to be inserted in the ground and an above-ground portion comprising an elongated web having at least one pair of substantially parallel webs extending outwardly therefrom and substantially coextensive therewith, said parallel webs being provided along the above-ground portion thereof with aligned openings, a fence panel having a terminal portion between said parallel Webs and having openings therein registering with those in said webs, and fastening means extending through said openings.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said post is solid and said fence panel is of a solid wall type.

3. The structure of claim 1 and a cap' for said post having a dependingly flanged portion, said cap being constructed to fit upon said post and with said flanged portion overlapping the side wall thereof.

4. The structure of claim 1, said fence post having at least one additional pair of parallel webs extending outwardly therefrom at right angles to said first pair of parallel webs, and another fence panel terminal. portion fastened between said additional pair of parallel webs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 712,259 Carr Oct. 28,1902 1,160,728 Liggett Nov. 16, 1915 2,034,709 Camp Mar. 24, 1936 

